Handles for manual tools with means to interlock with the shank of a working tool



June 21, 1960 P. s. vosBxKlAN ETAL 2,941,294

HANDLES FOR MANUAL TOOLS WITH MEANS TO INTERLOCK WITH THE SHA NG TOOL Filed June 18, 1958 NK OF A WORKI factory results.

United States Patent O HANDLES FOR MANUAL TOOLS WITH MEANS 'IlgGIlllllLOCK WITH THE SHANK OF A WORK- Peter S. Vosbikian and Thomas S. Vosbikian, both of 1605 N. 20th St., Melrose, Pa.

Filed June 18, 1958, Ser. No. 742,793 4 Claims. (Cl. 30-340) The conventional manner of providing a working tool with a handle is lto use a wooden handle with a ferrule and with an opening into which the tang of the tool is driven. Since it is necessary to use a high grade of wood, such handles are expensive, and the tang often times becomes loose in the handle.

In order to provide a cheaper and permanent handle construction, we have devised a novel handle comprising a-tube, preferably of metal such as steel with locking means which Iinterlocks with the tube and with the `tang of the working tool, and with a grasping sleeve of resilient, insulating material such as plastic which preferably has an irregular outer surface formed by -grooves or indentations in the sleeve. Such construction is cheaper to manufacture and provides a permanent connection with the tang of the tool.

With the foregoing yand other objects in View, as will hereinafter clearly appear, our invention comprehends a novel construction of a handle with novel means to interlock the tang of a working tool therewith.

It further comprehends a novel construction and arrangement of a tube, a locking member and the tang of a tool.

For thepurpose of illustrating the invention, we have shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment of it which we have found in practice to give satis- It is, however, to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and the invention is not limited, except by the scope of the appended claims, to the exact arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities -as herein set forth.

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section and partly broken away of hedge shears having a handle embodying our invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of a handle with means to interlock with a tube and with the tang of a working tool.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure `4 is a -section on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a locking member.

Figure 6 is a section on line 66 of Figure 7.

Figure 7 is a sectional elevation of another embodiment of the invention.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts:

Referring to the drawings:

A tube 1, preferably of steel, has a locking member 2 adapted to be inserted into its bore. `This locking member consists of a half round strip 2 of plastic material which is deflected upon its self to form normally a V shaped construction, -thus providing two arms. The arms have on their inner faces lugs 3 adapted to interlock with the walls of recesses 4 in the tang 5 of a working tool of "Patented June 21', 1960 t 2 any desired construction. The -arms on their outer faces have lugs 6 adapted to interlock with holes 7 in the tube 1. The free ends of the arms have flanges 8 which when the parts are assembled overhang the inner end of the tube 1, see Figure 2. The distance from the handle openings 7 to the anges 8 when the latter abut against the front end of the handle is the same as the distance from said shoulders to Athe lugs 6, thereby indicating when the parts yare assembled that the lugs of the locking member are interlocked with the handle.

The grasping portion is formed by a sleeve 9 of plastic Vmaterial which provides a resilient and insulating grasping portion and this grasping portion preferably is` grooved on its outer face. A cap of plastic material closes the outer end of the tube 1 and forms a continuation of the sleeve.

In assembling the handle with a working tool, the tang of such tool is inserted between the arm-s and the locking member 2 with the' tang driven into the bore of the tube 1. The arms are compressed towards the tang so that the lugs 3 are forced into the recesses 4 in the tang and the lugs 6 spring into the openings 7 in the tube 1. It will thus be clear that the arms of the locking member have a compressive fit in the bore of the tube 1 andi the tang 5 is permanently connected with the tube.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 6 and 7, the construction is the same except that a rod 11 is connected with the rear end of the locking member 2 and has a bar 12 at its rear end overhanging the outer end of the tube and provided with a nut 13 against the bar 12', it being apparent that this rod and its adjuncts can be omitted if desired since due to the compression of the locking member in the tube 1 provides a fixed and permanent connection with the tube and the tang of the working tool.

The type of handle and locking means herein disclosed is intended to be used with all types of work-ing tools which are manually held during the operation.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A tubular handle having side openings in opposite side walls spaced from Ithe front end of the handle, a compressible locking member folded upon itself to form sides and a closed end contained within the handle, said member having near its closed end lugs seated in said side openings, and a tang of a working tool extending into the handle between the sides of the locking member and having recesses at opposite sides, and said locking member having lugs seated in said tang recesses.

2. The construction defined in claim 1, wherein the sides of the locking member are half round in cross setion and are compressed against the tang and have a close driving lit in the handle.

3. The constructions dened in claim 1, wherein the front ends of the sides .of the locking member are enlarged to form shoulders abutting against the front end of the handle and the lugs near the closed end of the locking member and the side openings in the handle are so spaced from the front end of the handle that when the locking member is driven into the handle the shoulders abutting the front end of the handle will cause the lugs nearv the closed end of the locking member to be aligned with the side openings in the handle.

4. The construction defined in claim 1, wherein a rod is connected at its front end to the closed end of the locking member and has its rear end anchored to the rear end of the handle.

(References on following page) 3 Y Y References Cited in they le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Fisher Apr. 10, 1860 Brarnhall et a1 Aug. 24, 1880 5 Johnson May 25, 1886 Hastings Oct. 31, 1905 Smith Dec. 10, 1907 4 Klauke Aug. 5, 1924 Arnold June 1:, 1926 Crosman June 10, 1930 Miller Aug. 29, 1950 FOREGN PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 21, 1911 Great Britain Nov. 28, 1918 

